How to Make Cosplay Ears

The best thing about cosplay is you get to be whoever you want to be. It’s an opportunity to step into that character’s shoes and take on the best parts of their personality. And the most fun part is: The character doesn’t even have to be human.

If you really want to stretch your cosplay legs, you can cosplay as an animal and make your own cosplay ears. It’s an opportunity to add some flavor to your character and not rely on store-bought ears that everyone else will have. Here’s a way to make cosplay ears.

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• Step 1: Gather Your Materials
• Step 2: Create Your Pattern
• Step 3: Cut the Fabric
• Step 4: Make the Frame
• Step 5: Add Details
• Step 6: Assemble Your Ears

How to Make Cosplay Ears

Your cosplay ears will be one of the little details that makes your cosplay costume perfect. 

There are countless ways to make them, and as you progress in your cosplay skills, you may want to incorporate techniques like sewing or leatherwork. But if you’re just starting out, this method for making cosplay ears is an easy entry point. 

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

For these cosplay ears, you will need the following materials:

• Paper and fabric markers
• EVA foam
• Faux fur in your preferred colors
• 12 gauge aluminum wire and wire cutters
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors or crafting knife
• Paint or hair chalk
• A headband

Most, if not all, of these materials can be found at your local craft or hobby store. EVA foam is a flexible rubber material that you’ll use in many cosplay builds. It’s lightweight and holds its shape well. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with it if you plan on diving deep into cosplay.

Step 2: Create Your Pattern

Now is the time to choose the shape and size of the ears—are they long and pointy or short and round?

Using the paper, draw the patterns for your cosplay ears—one pattern for the front part of the ears and one for the back part. Once you have the patterns cut out, hold them to your head and take a look in the mirror to get a general sense of what the ears will look like on your head.

If you’ve ever sewn or made clothing before, this pattern works a lot like a clothing template—it’s the guide you use when working with your fabric. 

Step 3: Cut the Fabric

Using the fabric markers, trace your front pattern onto the faux fur. Then, flip the pattern and trace it again. The flip is important so that your ears mirror each other, creating a left and a right ear. Do the same with your back patterns.

After the tracing, draw about a quarter-inch border around the patterns. Cut the fabric along that outer border. You should wind up with four different pieces—two fronts and two backs.

Don’t throw away your scraps! They can always be used for future projects.

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Step 4: Make the Frame

Your fur pieces now need some structure. Trace your pattern onto the EVA foam and cut it out. Then, shape the aluminum wire along the edge of the foam pieces. Leave about a two-inch tail on each end of the aluminum wire. You need those later when you are attaching the ears to the headband.

After your wire is shaped, use the hot glue gun to secure it in place. Always use caution when handling a glue gun—a glue burn is no joke and can sideline you from your work for a few days.

Once the glue is dried, you can glue the fur pieces onto the frame.

Step 5: Add Details

Now that your cosplay ears are taking shape, it’s time to style them to fit your character. There are a couple of ways you can do this.

• Trimming: Using scissors to cut the fur gives the ears a distinct look. Keeping the fur shaggy in the back but manicured in the front shows that this character is ready for both business and party.
• Painting: Adding shadows and texture with paints and hair chalks is extremely helpful. Professionals might use an airbrush gun to apply the paint, but you can easily substitute that with a toothbrush—gently brush the paint along the grain of the fur.
• Bending: Thanks to the foam and wire skeleton in your cosplay ears, you can manipulate the shape of them easily. Bend the tips down to add some character to your cosplay.

Step 6: Assemble Your Ears

With the design of the cosplay ears now complete, it’s time to figure out how to wear them. That’s where those aluminum wire ends come in.

Get a plain plastic headband and wrap the aluminum wire ends around it. Make sure the wire is tight enough around the headband so that the ears won’t slide around while you wear them. 

Using this method makes it easy to remove and replace ears that you want to continue working on or that become damaged.

Join Your Pack

Your ears are now complete! The next time you’re at a convention with friends, they will marvel at your handiwork and be dying to know your cosplay secrets.

You can even start a cottage industry of making ears for all your friends’ cosplay ideas. That’s where your creativity will shine and you’ll really get to sharpen your skills. And you don’t have to be limited to cosplay—your talents will be extra useful during the Halloween season.

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